A Comprehensive History of Norwich

by A. D. Bayne

Henry VIII. began his reign on April 22nd, 1509, when the city was in a state of great distraction, on account of the terrible fires which caused much destruction of property. In that year a great part of the cathedral, with its vestry, and all the ornaments and books were destroyed by a fire, which broke out on St. Thomas’ night. In 1515, the Lady Mary, sister to the king, and her consort the Duke of Suffolk, visited the city on their return from France, and were nobly entertained. Henry VIII., while he continued a papist, burned the reformers; and when in a fit of anger he disowned the pope and assumed the English tiara, he was no less zealous against both Papist and Puritan, who would not bind their consciences to his royal decrees. During the prelacy of Richard Nykke or Nix, the bigotted bishop of Norwich, several church reformers were burnt here and at other places.

In 1517, Cardinal Wolsey visited the city to mediate between the citizens and the monks, but their disputes were not finally settled till 1524, when the jurisdiction of the convent was ascertained and separated from that of the corporation until 1538, when they were converted into a dean and chapter.

On March 2nd, 1520, Queen Catherine and Cardinal Wolsey visited the city, and all the city companies went to meet the queen “in Puke and Dirke Tawney Liveries,” and the city presented her with 100 marks.

In 1522, in consequence of the many vexatious suits in the Sheriff’s Court for words and trifling debts, it was agreed that four aldermen be named, one out of each of the great wards, to sit in person, or by deputies, every Wednesday, from eight till nine in the morning, to adjust all debts under two shillings, and all actions on words, for the ease and peace of the city. This institution was of great benefit, and in some measure answered the purpose of the old Court of Conscience.

In 1524, on September 2nd, through the mediation of Cardinal Wolsey, a composition and final agreement was sealed between the prior and the city at the Guildhall, by which the city resigned all jurisdiction within the walls of the priory, the whole site thereof being hereby acknowledged to be part of the County of Norfolk and in the Hundred of Blofield; and the church gave up all right of jurisdiction in every place without their walls and within the walls of the city; so that now, Tombland, with the fairs kept thereon, and all things belonging to those fairs—and Holmstrete, Spytelond, and Ratten Row, with their letes—were adjudged to belong to the city, and to be part of the county thereof. The prior and convent and their successors were also exempted from all tolls, customs, and exactions whatever, by land or water in the whole city, or county of the city and its liberties, for goods or chattels bought or sold for the use of the prior and convent, their households, or families.

In 1525 the king granted the city another charter, confirmed likewise by parliament, in which the late composition and agreement between the city and prior was fully recited and established, and new privileges were granted.

In 1530 the king was declared supreme head of the church of England; and was acknowledged so by act of parliament in 1535. In the latter year an act was passed for recontinuing liberties in the crown, by which all cities, boroughs, and towns corporate, had their liberties and privileges fully confirmed.

BILNEY’S MARTYRDOM.

A short account of the martyrdom of Thomas Bilney, in 1531, may serve to illustrate the persecuting spirit of the age. He had renounced the tenets of the Church of Rome, and was condemned on the following passages extracted from two sermons which he had preached in 1527, at Ipswich.

“Our Saviour Christ is our Mediator between us and the Father; what need have we therefore for any remedy from saints? It is a great injury to the blood of Christ to make such petitions, and blasphemeth our Saviour.”

“Man is so imperfect by himself, that he can in no wise merit by his own deeds.”

“The coming of Christ was long prophesied before, and desired by the prophets; but John Baptist, being more than a prophet, did not only prophesy, but with his finger shewed Him, saying, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.’ Then, if this was the very Lamb which John did demonstrate, that taketh away the sins of the world, what injury is it to our Saviour Christ, that to be buried in St. Francis’ cowl should remit four parts of penance? What is then left to our Saviour Christ, which taketh away the sins of the world? This I will justify to be a great blasphemy to the blood of Christ.”

“It is great folly to go on pilgrimages; and preachers in times past have been antichrists; and now it hath pleased God somewhat to shew forth their falsehoods and errors.”

“The miracles done at Walsingham, Canterbury, and Ipswich, were done by the devil through the sufferance of God, to blind the poor people; and the Pope hath not the keys that St. Peter had, except he followeth Peter in his living.”

“Christian people should set up no lights before images of saints, for saints in heaven need no lights, and images have no eyes to see; and, therefore, as Ezechias destroyed the brazen serpent that Moses made by the commandment of God, even so should the kings and princes of these times destroy and burn the images of saints set up in churches.”